The Penn's Grove record., 1887-07-16
AMOKER CATCHERs.
HIndoo and Malay Natives who Mako
Ii Lively for Pedestrians.

II LhNclJ IDE EGueNtElauss
Two instances have recently ap.
peared of that strange and sanguinary
custom of the East called running
amuck." Cumming amuck" is a
phrase derived from the Malay word
''amok" (klllingl and constitutes a
weli-marked hysterical Oriental cOun-
tries. 1t is rarely, IL ever, manifested
among the qGiet-tempered Hindus, and
but seldom among the Indian Mussul-
mans, while, whenever it does occur in
Hindostan, the malady may generally
be traced to the abuse of opium or the
extract of hemp called bhang, ganja,
or charras. The Hindu tobacconist
sells a special CONNECTION made up of
bhang, opium. datura, cloves, mastic,
cinnamon and cardamums, which Is
mixed with milk and sugar and eaten
as a sweetmeat.
This dIabolical cake--known as ma
jum-will drive a nan mad about as
soon as anything. With the Malays,
however, who have given a name to
to the terrible mental alteration of
which we speak, and who are by far
the most addicted to 1t of all Eastern
P@OBAVs - C1dOb AAu1 JUL "a
PLANTATION of the outbreak. Suddenly,
without rhyme or reason. a man Will
spring up from his s%kop-board or his
couch, draw his kris-the waVe-bladed
dagger which they all carry-and, with
a scream of "Amokl AmokI' strike
its point into the heart of the nearest
wayfarer and dart down the crowded
bazaar like the lunatic which he is,
stabbing and cutting on all sides.
"Amokl Amoki' echoes from hundreds
of mouths, and everybody hurries for a
place Of refuge, fleeing In all directions,
except those holder spirits who snatch
up weapon Of defense and join the
armed throng which pursues the 6es-
perado.
The path of the chase is soon strewn
with bodies of men, women and chill
dren, dead or bleeding to death, until
some lucky shot or daring thrust dis
ables the murderer, who is pierced
with a dozen blades as Don as he falls
to the ground. Occasionally it turns
out that the 'samoker' has received
some personal affront or injury or was
bopelessly in debt or disappointed in
love; but more commonly there is moth
ing whatever to account for the wild
fury OF his proceedings, and the street
sweepers drag his CARCASS away as care
lessly as if a leopard had been slain in
the Public streets. So ordinary, indeed,
is tt 0 occurrence that in many towns
and cities where there lives a large Ma
lay population an instrument is kept in
res dlne5s at every police station called
the ''amoker catcher" 1t is something
like al eel spear with a very long
handle, and so contrivei that two elias
tic-pointed spikes close round the mad
mans neck and secure him helplessly
when the iron prongs are pushed
against his nape from behind.
Neither rank o wealth keeps a
Malay from this sudden access of
homicidal mania If he has the predis-
position OF has been greatly excited.
There was an instance at Salatiga, in
the island of Java, where the Regent
was celebrating the marriage of two of
his daughters, and everybody was in a
festive and Joyous mood. Just, how
ever, at the gayest moment of the cere-
monies the Regents brother-in-law, a
high official, came rushing through the
procession, stabbing everybody he could
get at with his jeweled kris. The Re-
gent himself, coming up to inquire into
the uproar, was killed by a single
thrust, and 1t was the brother Of the
Prince who ran the ''moker" through
the back with a spear and brought him
down, yet not before he had slaught-
cred Ill or the palace people and
wounded six others more or less severe
ly.
1t might be supposed thata rae sub
iect to such ferocious fits would be
naturally excitable and nervous in
manner; but the contrary is the case,
The Malay is OF all men the most quiet
digniled and slow Of speech and action
In his ordinary life. lie seldom speaks
loudly or quickly, has the most cour-
teouS and even gentle demeanor, and
quarrels very rarely with his fellows.
Yet he IS coldly and silently cruel; has
no regard Tor human life, and derives
from the Mohammedan faith, which he
processes, its Ditterest and most relent-
less dogmas. Once started on the
death run'' by insult, despair or some
brain trouble, his only thought is to
''klll, and kill. and KILL" and in the
fierce exultation of his insanity hs does
not feel the blow which let's out his
burning blood and puts a stop to his
dreadful career.